Mobile elevator for invalids



Jan. 19, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1951 INVENTOR. A 0 14. F/on o e/7s BY Jan. 19, 1954 R. A. FLANDERS MOBILE ELEVATOR FOR INVALIDS 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 6, 1951 NNTOR. W Boy A. [/00 o e/as ATTOIPNF Jan. 19, 1954 R. AQFLANDERS 2,666,212

MOBILE ELEVATOR FOR INVALIDS Filed Jan. 6, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 a g i-': ::a&--

w l 'IIIIIIIIIIIII.

Li'r l \s A M w l. M W W Q fill g Q INVENTOR.

Ea 4. F/onaens ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 1:9 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOBILE ELEVATOR FOR INVALIDS 7 Roy A. Flanders, Pratt, Kans. Application January 6, 1951, Serial No. 204,716

8 Claims. (Cl. -36) This invention relates to a mobile elevator for handling and transporting invalids and has for its principal objects to provide an apparatus of this character which is of simple, light-weight construction, safe in operation, and easily manipulated.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a seat suspendedly supported over a relatively narrow wheel supported base to pass through standard size doorways and which is stable when the seat is located directly thereover as when an invalid is being moved from one place to another; to provide the apparatus with stabilizing arms that are adapted to be projected laterally from the sides of the carriage so as to prevent tipping when the seat is swung laterally over a bed or the like; to provide the apparatus with means for stabilizing the apparatus when the stabilizing arms cannot be used; to provide the apparatus with a simple easily operated hoisting mechanism that holds the invalids seat in elevated position; to provide means for controlling tendency for the seat to swing out of its balanced position over the carriage. V I

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile elevator constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the invalids support in suspension laterally of the mobile base.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the elevator but with the stabilizing'arms in folded position as when the foot pedal is used in lieu thereof for preventing tilting of the base under weight of an invalid.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the mobile base and the lower portion of the standard, particularly illustrating the ball mounting of the post which carries the invalids support or chair.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section through the upper portion of. the elevator particularly illustrating the tackle mechanism' for raising and lowering the invalids chair or support.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the base showing the stabilizing arms in folded position as when the device is tobev moved through a doorway or the like.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the removable mounting for one of the stabilizing arms. 7

. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on a line l! of Fig. 3, particularly illustrating the stops and notches on the latch collar. v

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the foot operated stabilizing lever and the flexible connector which connects the lever with the top of the standard.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism for preventing rotation of the invalids support carrying post and its standard.

Fig. 10 is a detail fragmentary view particularly illustrating the slide bolt for retaining one of the stabilizing arms in extended position.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

- i designates a mobile elevator constructed in accordance with the present invention and which includes an elongated base or frame 2 having a cross rail 3 connecting the ends of outwardly diverging side rails 4 and 5, the inner ends of the side rails being connected with the cross rail at points inset from the ends thereof. The outer ends and l of the side rails are spaced apart substantially in conformity with the length of the cross rail 3 as best shown in Fig. 2. Connected with the ends 6 and l of the side rails are caster wheeled and 9 which cooperate with caster wheels iii and ii that are mounted on the outer ends of the cross rail 3 to support the baseframe. A relatively low center of gravity is provided by forming the side rails with depending portions [2 and I3, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The side rails 4 and. 5 are connected adjacent the oifset ends Id thereof by a cross rail l5 which cooperates with a forwardly positioned cross rail It in carrying an intermediate longitudinal rail I! on which is supported a tubular standard I8 which is supported in vertical position by braces l9, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. With this construction, the base frame is relatively narrow to pass through a doorwaybut. is sufficiently long to provide ample support and stability in a fore and aft direction. 7 Y r I I The lower end of the standard I8 is closed by a plate 20 which seatsa ball 2| for supporting the lower end of a post 22 which is rotatably mounted within the tubular standard and has a projecting upper end 23 carrying a laterally extending arm 24. The lower portion of the post 22 is of a. diameter to provide a close rotating fit within the tubular standard so as to position the arm 24 above the forward portion of the base frame or laterally to either side thereof as later to be described.

In order to provide a relatively strong lightweight structure; the sides and cross rails of the base frame are preferably of tubular stock having ends fitted and welded together. The post 22 may also be formed of an outer section of pipe 25 that extends substantially the full 3 length thereof and an inner section of pipe 26' tightly fitting within the pipe and which is welded therein to form a unitary structure. The inner section of pipe has its upper end bent laterally as at 21 to provide the laterally propecting arm 24.

Mounted on the outer end of the arm is a cap 28 which carries an eye 29 to suspend a tackle mechanism "30 including an upper pulley block 3| and a lower pulley'block 32,the upper pulley block being connected with the eye by a safety hook 33. pulleys with one end anchored to. the lower pulley block 32, as indicated at 36 in Fig. V The cable is reeved so that the other end comes off the upper pulley block 3| on the, upper Sid? 5?" one of the pulley thereof, therefore, to prevent movement of the pulley blocks out of vertical alignment under a lateral pull on the cable. The lateral arm 24 carries a bracket 31 having a portion 38 extending downwardly alongside of the upperpulley block 3| to carry a lower guide pulley "39"under' which the cable operates to exert the desired directional pull on the cable. The operating end of the cable extends upward- 1y from" thepulley '39 and over a guide'pulley 40 thatis'also 'carriedby the bracket 3'! at a point adjacent the upper portion of the pulley block 3| as shown in Fig. 4. From the guide pulley 10, the cable extends along the arm 24 and thendownwar'dly over'a guide pulley 4| that is carried by a bracket 42 which is located on the arm 24 at a point adjacent the vertical portion of the post'as best shown in Fig. 4.

The tackleis actuated by a winding mechanism 43'that is carried on the vertical portion of the post by a bracket 41. The winding mechanism 43 includes a housing '45 enclosing a suitable speed reduction gearing which preferably comprises at least one set of worm and worm gears sothat the driven shaft 46 is non-rotatable under retractive'pull of the cable. The operating end of the cable is attached to a reel or spool 4-1; which'has a fixed mounting on the shaft 4 6. The Speed reduction gearing also includes a p'oiwershaft 48 carrying a hand wheel 49- bywhich the shaft may be'rotated to turn the reel 47' either directiondepending upon the direction of rotation, of'the hand wheel.

Thefpulley block "32 suspendedly carries an invalids supporter chair 50 which may bev of anysuitableftype. In the illustrated instance, thejsup'p'ort includes a crossbar 5|, having a cen tral eye 52 that! is connected with the pulley block 32'by a safety hook 53. "Fixed to the outer ends of the cross bar are'hooks 54'and55 carryin ch ins and 1 t ach ice yne eat 58 andiwmch iomb esj eb, .9 havii f e im l e df' j fi'flq dfl. o lv dc. 0 ,13 s in ds 62 ai dfss to whichthef ends or the chains 56 nd" iar n i b ed=""' V The crossbar 5| may be provided with handles 64. and 6 5 by which an invalid seatedin the chair A cable 34 is reeved over the respective may stabi ize. an suni im e i e, hcelet va'tor is being movedfromplace to place asflater described. I

Infqrder to prevent swinging of the invalid support on the lateral arm 24while the elevator is being moved from. one place to another, the lowerlpulle'y' block 32 "and reeved portions of the cableare enclosed in a tubular housing it which is rigidly attachedto the arm 24 by-a strap-like bracket 61: extending over the "cap- 28--and having depending ends "-68" and 69- attached to opposite 7 sides of'the upper -end of the tubular housing as 4 shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Formed in the lower end of the tubular housing are pairs of diametrically opposed notches 10 and II to receive the upper edge of the cross bar when the invalids chair is raised to its uppermost and carrying position as later described. The upper end of the tubular housing is provided with a slot 12 through which the cable plays as shown in Fig. 4,

With the structure thus far described, it is obvious that when the arm 24 is carried forwardly over the base, the invalid is supported over the base and the structure is stable and may be moved from place to place without danger of tipping under the weight of the invalid. However, when the arm is turned to project laterally over one or the other sides of the base, as when lifting an invalid from a bed, the weight overbalances the base and .the device will tip. To avoid this difliculty, the base is provided with w stabilizing arms 13 and 14 each including a rigid section of pipe 15 having its inner end pivotally connected with a pintle 16 by rule joint connections 11. The outer ends of the arms carry caster wheels 18 which cooperate with the main caster wheels in promoting maneuverability of the base, as later described.

The pintles 76 are removably mounted. to carry the stabilizing arms on either one or the other sides of the base depending upon the side on which they are to be used. This is effected by providing the side rails with transversely arranged socket members '|980 and tit-32, the socket members '19 and 8| being supported on the ends of a cross bar- 83 that is supported from the cross bar 3 by a plate 84, see Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The other socket members 8|! and 82 are carried by plate-like brackets 85 that are welded within the offsets of the side rails as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The pintles of the respective stabilizing arms are inserted within the desired socket members and are secured therein by removable pins 86 (see Fig. 6) that are inserted through openings 8? in the socket members and registering openings 88 in the pintles. The pins 86 thus support the pintles with the pivotal axis of the rule joints 'il' at a slight angle to each other whereby the stabilizing arms may break inwardly toward eachother and be positioned alongside of the base'frame'so that the caster wheels 18 will be raised' slightly from the floor as indicated at 1'8, as bestjshown in Fig. '5, so that the elevator may be 'movied, without interference of said caster whe els, through a relatively narrow doorway or into apositipn where; the elevator is alQn side of'abathtub or the like, as later des bed:

The stabilizing'arms may be locked in extended position by bolts 89 1 that ,are slidably mounted in sleevesfill that are attached totherigid portions of the arms and which engage openings 9| that are provide? in the bracket. plates 85, or inv sleeves 92. that are attai'rhed to the socket members that are 'carriedby the ends of the crossbar 83;

A latch means is provided forlockingthe post in fixedposition wherithe arm isextended, over thebase or swung laterally toeither sidefof the ba se now. o e ese ib d Fixed to the post 22 above the terminal'end of thetubular standard! 8 isa collar 93 having laterally projecting ears Stcarrying a pivot pin 95 for a latch lever 96 which includes a handle portion 91 that extends upwardly alongside of the post and a depending-- pawrportion 98tha-textends downwardlyto -engage in one or--the other of a series of notches 99 ,-|00, 'and ||l| providedin a collar 1 02 which is end of the standard. 'Th'e'collar is positioned with the notches 9.9 and NI at the sides of .the standand and the notch It!) in the fore and aft direction of the base. The latch is normally retained in position forthe pawl 93 to slide into one of the .notches by aspring I03 which has oneend engaging over a pin I95 carried by the post and its opposite end engaging over a pin I05 carried by the handle portion 9'? of the latch lever 56 as best shown in Fig. 9. In order to limit turning of the post, the collar I02 is provided with .stop lugs I06 and I9? so that when the invalid support is turned to the limit of. itslateral positions, the pawl 98 will strike one or the other of. the limit lugs'and drop into the adjacentretaining notch at that side of the collar.v r 7 Located at the upper end of the standard I8 below collar IE2 is a collar I08 provided'with diametrically opposed hooks Hi9 which receive a ring Ill attached to the free end of a chain I I I. The other end of chain I I I is secured to the foot I I2 of a stationary stabilizing arm I I3. The stabilizing arm I I 3 is formed of pipe I IE having the foot I I2 secured to one end and a yoke I I5 at the other end which removably engages the depending portions I2 and I3 of side rails I and 5 to provide further support for standard i8 for a purpose later described.

In'using the device for lifting an invalid, for example from a bed, the chains 56 and 5'3 are disengaged from the hooks 54 and 55 so that the web 59 of the seat may be placed under the invalid. The stabilizing arms I3 and Id are then extended laterally and the arm 24 is swung over the bed so that when the device is pushed alongside the bed, the stabilizing arms I3 and Id project thereunderand the arm 2 extendsv over the bed. When the arm 24 is swung to the position illustrated, the latch 95 looks the post 22 from turning movement in the'standard I8. The hand. wheel 4% is then rotated in the proper direction to lower I the crossbar El '30 as to reconnect the chains 55 and 5? with thehooks 5 and 55. The invalid grasps the -handles B4 and'GE to stabilize himself on the seat. 'The' hand wheel 49' is then rotated to wind the cable 3% on the reel Al to raise the invalid from the bed. The invalid is then turned so that the cross bar 5I enters the notches Ill. The latch 9c is then released and the arm 26 is swung to a position which carries the invalid over the base frame. The elevator is then moved away from the bed and the stabilizing arms I3 and it; are moved into position alongside the base frame as shown in Fig. 2. In this position the wheels I8 are raised from the floor, as indicated in Fig. 5. The invalid is then carried by pushing the base frame over the floor.

Since the base frame is relatively narrow, it will pass through doors and narrow hallways. However, the carrying position of the invalid di rectly over the forward portion of the base frame provides stability while the invalid is being transported.

If the invalid is to be deposited in a bathtub or other place where the stabilizing arms I3 and It cannot be used, they may be left in folded position so that the base frame may be moved alongside of the tub. The foot lever is then placed with the yoke I I5 bearing, for example, against a sid rail 5 and the ring III) of the chain III is engaged with the hook I09. The foot of the attendant is then placed on the pedal H2 so that when the latch 96 is disengaged and the arm 24 is swung to a lateral position with the invalid ly fixe'dto the upp 6 supported over the tub, the base frame will not tilt. The hand wheel 49 is then rotated to lower the cross bar 5! out of engagement with the notches I0 whereupon the invalid may be turned to a proper position in the tub asthe seat is lowered.v

Attention is directed to the fact that due to the speed reducer 43, the invalid is supported in any elevated position without the use of a brake.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that I have provided a mobile elevator that is safe and easy to operate and which is of relatively light weight and simple construction. It is therefore especially suited for use in the home or hospital in handling invalids and other patients that are incapable of moving themselves from one place to another.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mobile elevator of the character described including a wheel supported base, a standard on the base, a post having journalled support by the standard and having a laterally extending arm, a cable winding mechanism mounted on the post, an invalids support including a cross member, a tackle connected with the laterally extending arm for suspending the invalids support from said arm and including a cable connected with said cross member and with said cable winding mechanism to raise and lower the invalids support, and a tubular housing rigidly connected with said arm and surrounding the portion of the tackle which suspends from said arm and having portions for engaging the cross member in one position of the invalids support to prevent swinging of said support on the arm.

2. A mobile elevator of the character described including a wheel supported base, a standard on the base, a post having journalled support by the standard and having a laterally extending arm, acable winding mechanism mounted on the post, an invalids support including a cross member, a tackle connected with the laterally extending arm for suspending the invalids support from said arm andincluding a cable connected with said cross member andwith said cable winding mechanism to raise and lower the invalids. support, a tubular housing rigidly connected with said arm and surrounding the portion of the tackle which suspends from said arm and having portions for engaging the cross member in one position of the invalids support to prevent swinging of said support on the arm, and means for selectively engaging the post with the standard to prevent turning of the post relatively to the standard.

3. A mobile elevator of the character described including a wheel supported base, a standard on the base, a post having journalled support by the standard and having a laterally extending arm, an invalids support carried by said arm, a foot lever, means removably connecting the foot lever with the base, and a flexible connection between the standard and the foot lever, said foot lever and flexible connection being adapted to stabilize the base when the invalid support is swung laterally from a side of the base opposite the foot lever and when a downward pressure is applied to said foot lever.

.4. A mobile elevator of the character described including an elongated base, caster wheels supporting the base at ends thereof, a standard extending upwardly from the base, a post having journalled support by the standard and having a laterally extending arm, an invalids support, a pair of tackle blocks, one being connected with the arm and the other with the invalidssuppcrt, a

cable reeved over the tackle blocks, a cable winding mechanism carried by the post includinga reel to which an end of the cable is connected and on which said end of the cable is adapted to be Wound, a housing carried by the arm and forming an enclosure for the tackle block carried by the invalids support, said housing having means adapted to engage a part of the invalids support to prevent swinging of the invalids support on said tackle when the invalids support is in its uppermost position.

5. A mobile elevator of the character described including an elongated base, caster wheels supporting the base at ends thereof, a, standard extending upwardly from the base, a post having journalled support by the standard and having a laterally extending arm, an invalids support, a pair of tackle blocks, one being connected with the arm and the other with the invalids support, a cable reeved over the tackle blocks, a cable Winding mechanism carried by the post including a reel to which an end of the cable is con :nected and on which said end of the cable is adapted to be wound, pulleys supported by the arm for guiding the cable to the cable winding reel, and housingcarried by the arm and forming enclosure for the tackle block carried by the invalids support, said housing having means adapted to engage a part or" the invalids support to prevent swinging of the invalids support on said tackle when the invalids support is in its uppermost position.

*6. In .a mobile elevator of the character described, aabase frame including across rail, caster wheels carrying ends of the cross raiLspacedside rails connected with-and diverging from the cross rail and having outer ends, caster Wheels carrying the outer ends of the side rails, said side rails having intermediate depending portions, cross rails connecting said depending portions of the side rails, a longitudinal rail connecting the last named cross rails, .astandard carried by the longitudinal rail, socket members carried at the ends of the side rails,.stabilizing arms removably supported in the socket members to extend laterally from the base frame, and caster wheels carried by the stabilizing arms.

. 7. In a mobile elevator of the character described, a'base frame including a cross rail, caster wheels carrying ends of the cross rail, spaced side rails connected with and diverging from the cross rail and having outer ends, caster wheels carrying the outer ends of the side rails, said side rails having intermediate depending portions, cross rails connecting said depending portions of the side rails, a longitudinal rail connecting the last named cross rails, a standard carried by the longitudinal rail, socket members carried at the ends of the side rails, stabilizing arms removably supported in the socket members to extend laterally from the base frame, and caster wheels carried by the stabilizing arms, said stabilizing arms having hinge joints on which the stabilizing arms are adapted to be moved from a position alongside said base frame to said lateral positions.

8. In a mobile elevator of the character described, a base frame including a cross rail, caster wheels carrying ends of the cross rail, spaced side rails connected with and diverging from the cross rail and having outer ends, caster wheels carrying the outer ends of the side rails, said side rails having intermediate depending portions, cross rails connecting said depending portions of the side rails, a longitudinal rail connecting the last named cross rails, a standard carried by the longitudinal rail, a foot lever, a yoke on one end of the foot lever engaging one of the side rails, and a flexible connection between the upper end of the standard and the foot lever for cooperating with the foot lever to stabilize the standard when weight is applied to the foot pedal.

ROY A. FLANDERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 588,117 springer Aug. 10, 1897 662,477 Ulrich Nov. 27, 1900 686,425 Sommerfeld Nov. 12, 1901 935,170 Smith Sept. 28, 1909 1,878,785 Leavitt Sept. 20, 1932 1,961,119 Ettinger May 29, 1934 

